462 lxxl salicine^e. [Salix. 



less persistent, lanceolate rotundate or obovate, entire. Disc of 2 

 glands or nearly annular. Stamens 2-12, generally 2, long, protruding 

 from the scales, filaments filiform, free or more or less connate. Stigmas 

 2, often bifid or lobed, at the end of a short or elongated filiform, some- 

 times bifid style. Capsule 2-valved, the valves generally rolling back, 

 placentas near the base of the valves. 



In the following enumeration, a selection has been made of the more import- 

 ant willows of N.W. India, and notes have been added regarding those European 

 willows which are most nearly related to them. The study of this genus is 

 difficult, on account of the numerous hybrids and cross-breeds between the dif- 

 ferent species. The arborescent willows are most useful trees, and merit great 

 attention on the part of foresters in India. 



Willows are invaluable to protect and fix the banks of rivers, and extensive 

 plantations for that purpose may be seen all along the banks of the Rhine and 

 other large European rivers. As coppice-woods with short rotation they are 

 grown in Osier-beds, and cut annually (for basket-work), or when 3-4 years 

 old, for hoops and other larger material. Along roads, brooks, and on meadows 

 they are often grown as pollards. The wood is used for carving and many 

 other purposes. The inner bark is tough and fibrous, fishing nets and lines are 

 made of it in North America. 





Stamens 3 or more, free. 



Leaves lanceolate, serrulate ; capsules ovoid, long - pedicel- 

 late . . . . . . . . . 1. S. tetrasperma 



Leaves linear-lanceolate, entire ; capsules ovoid-lanceolate, 



short-pedicellate . . . . . . . . 2. S. acmopliylla. 



Stamens 2, free. 



Flowers with or after the leaves ; catkins on leaf-bearing 

 peduncles. 

 A tree with generally drooping branches ; leaves linear- 

 lanceolate, glabrous ; style short . . . . 3. S. babylonica. 



A tree with spreading branches ; leaves lanceolate, silky 



beneath ; style short 4. S. alba. 



A large shrub or small tree ; leaves elliptic or obovate- 



oblong, glabrous, glaucous beneath ; style short . 5. S. elegans. 

 A small shrub ; leaves broad-elliptic, green on both sides, 



paler beneath ; style long filiform . . . . 6. S. hastata. 

 Flowers before the leaves ; catkins sessile or subsessile. 

 Stigma sessile or subsessile. 



Leaves elliptic or obovate, rugose, crenate . . 7. S. Caprea. 

 Leaves lanceolate or ovate- lanceolate, not rugose, 



entire 8. S. Walllchiana. 



Style long, slender. 



Leaves lanceolate, glabrous, serrate, glaucous beneath ; 



capsule glabrous 9. S. daphnoides. 



Leaves linear - lanceolate, white-tomentose beneath ; 



margin revolute ; capsule grey-tomentose . . 10. S. viminalis. 

 Stamens 2, connate to the apex or nearly so. 

 Leaves linear-lanceolate ; scales dark-coloured at top, with 



long silky hairs 11. & pycnostachya. 



Leaves narrow-linear ; scales yellow, glabrous . . .12. S. angtistifolia. 



1. S. tetrasperma, Roxb. Tab. LVIII Cor. PI. t. 97 ; Roxb. Fl. 

 Ind. iii. 753 ; Wight Ic. t. 1954 ; Andersson in DC. Prodr. xvi. ii. 192 ; 

 Bedd. Fl. Sylv. t. 302. Syn. S. ichnostachya, Lindl.; Wight Ic. t. 1953. 



